One of my childhood favorite breakfast dishes has always been Masala French Toast. My dad was a chef and then later owned his own eateries. My mum is probably the best cook I have come across (in close competition with her sister), so combined, our home was always filled with delicious foods and snacks at all hours. Masala French Toast was something my dad would make us in the morning, whether it was a school day or not. Actually, I didn't even know that sweet french toast existed until my adult life, once I had left the comforts of mum and dad's kitchen! French toast to me has always been the Indian style, with lots of spices and herbs.
This is a popular, no-fuss breakfast dish in India, often eaten with ketchup or hot sauce. Every family has their own version and you can alter the recipe to fit which spices you may have at home.
One of the spice mixtures used in this recipe is garam masala. Garam masala is a key ingredient in Indian cooking and is made up of a number of spices namely coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, black pepper, bay leaves, aniseed, black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon stick, and nutmeg. The spices are gently roasted and then ground into powder form. My wonderful mum does this in big batches so I have a great big tub filled with the yumminess at hand. You can also purchase this in your local ethnic store, pre-made for convenience.
The recipe will take 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients (if the garam masala is ready), and another 15 minutes to cook. You can get creative with this recipe and add your twist. Some alternative ingredients you can use in this recipe are red chili flakes, fresh garlic and other herbs you may have on hand such as chives. If you don't have sour cream, you can add a little milk instead, or if you're lactose intolerant, skip adding dairy entirely.
Happy cooking and let me know how you like it!
Masala French Toast
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Yield: 2 people Cuisine: Indian Author: Anika Pannu
Ingredients
4 slices of (stale) bread of your choice
5 free-range eggs
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 green chillies finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 1/2 tablespoon sour cream
olive oil for cooking
tomato ketchup or sauce of your choice
Method
1. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl.
2. Add the sour cream and whisk until combined.
3. Add the spices to the egg mixture, followed by the onion, chilies and coriander, stirring until combined.
4. Cut the bread into triangles.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non stick pan.
6. Dip the cut bread into the egg mixture until both sides are covered, spooning the onions onto the bread if needed.
7. Transfer to the hot pan and cook on low heat until golden brown. Repeat on the other side.
8. Repeat the process for the remaining bread.
9. Serve with tomato ketchup or a sauce of your choice, and eat whilst hot.
